I really cannot sum up this movie better than what World’s Finest did.
“not a deep or profound entry in the Bat-cycle, nor is it a particularly exciting one. But it’s a pleasant afternoon-filler and will likely please those fans of the animated universe who fondly recall the low-impact dramatics of the series’ first incarnation…well, we all need those.”
Until recently there were four films in the DCAU in addition to its many series. They are Batman Beyond The Return of the Joker, Batman Mask of the Phantasm, (the two most acclaimed ones), Batman and Mr. Freeze Subzero, and last of all this one, which actually came out well later when Justice League was finishing season 2, while this has the art style of The New Batman Adventures which ended over 4.5 years before this came out in 2003. Alan Burnett chose this animation style since he liked it best. Bruce Timm had no involvement in this one, and Burnett was in charge.
The mystery is that all three of the main suspects are Batwoman. They tag team it to throw suspicion off, which is actually a good plan since every person in this world has only two body types, and they are divided by sex (except Penguin, the only non-attractive man in the world).
It opens with some hired henchmen transporting weapons, and the titular mysterious Batwoman stops them. That image of her using is a great way to introduce how different she is from Batman, and we get a decent action scene with good music out of it. Perfectly fine opening. It is quickly brought up that Bats is upset she used his name and likeness. That is brought up later with the three Batwoman. One of them, Sonia wanted the name to honor Batman, while the other two wanted to make an entirely new identity.
It is toyed with that none of three suspects would be the Batwoman, but that it would be Catwoman or Barbara Gordon. Barbara even gets a small scene, and it is terrible. Since the design was made for her that would have been a decent mythology gag.
Our four main villains are Bane, Carlton, Dusquene (like Du-Kane from the comics), Penguin (very distractingly with a different voice actor), and Rupert Thorne (first time he has appeared in nearly ten years). Penguin and Carlton were Jumba and Gantu in Lilo and Stitch the previous year, so alien reunion time.
Of the four films this is by far the weakest villain group. Bane is boring and loses the same way he always does. Rupert Thorne is just there. Carloton is there to be redeemable family member to one of the Batwomen (Kathy), and Penguin is carrying the group despite getting repeatedly clobbered. They are in a deal to deliver arms to rebels in the fictional country of Kasnia, and Batwoman consistently stops their shipments. A key reason for this is Carlton’s daughter, Kathy is one of the Batwomen. Until that is confirmed this mystery is dropped when Batman sees her and Batwoman in the same place.
After a terrible scene of Barbara flirting with Batman we are introduced to batwoman #2, Rocky. She is the best of them. She is the typical genius but awkward scientist, but she has the best motivation. Her fiancé was framed by Penguin for a crime and is now in prison for life.
Batwoman #3 is Sonia. Theoretically it should have tipped me off that Bullock has a new partner instead of Montoya, but contrary to what modern comic readers would think Montoya was pretty much a non-factor in the show who normally did nothing more but stand there and look stoic (she was brought over to the comics as basically an entirely different character). Her motivation is that Rupert Thorne blackmailed her parents into bankruptcy, and then Batman saved her life from a fire. Sonia has some nice rewatch bonuses, like how she smiles when Bats shows up, and how she knows too much about the captured weapons.
Bruce and Kathy develop a romance over their shared dead parents killed by gunmen (an assassin targeted Carlton, missed, and hit his wife). The scenes do not drag, but they are not interesting. At least the fight is good when Bruce points out she took him to The Iceberg Lounge where she knew her father would hear about it and get angry.
Around then is the best fight in the movie. Rocky as Batwoman nearly kills Penguin, and in the picture above you can really she how much she is enjoying this revenge. Then Penguin’s hench women show up. In the show they are awful as fighters, but here they are actually very good, and for once Batwoman is not doing well.
This is just not Penguin’s night, and that is not even accounting for all of his stuff that got destroyed.
2/3rds through the movie is when Bats finds out all three are Batwoman. Honestly the mystery part is very quick compare to the romance and fights. This leads to scenes with all three of them plotting. I like the detail that Rocky wishes they came up with a whole new identity, but Sonia insisted on going by Batwoman. I also see how these three are a very good team who form a complete hero. Kathy is the best athlete and has the money. Rocky has the technology. Sonia has the drive and knowledge of criminals.
This man has been memed as “The Smartest Batman Goon Ever.” That is because at one point he just leaves Batman alone. What is left out is that only happens after he gets beaten up so much he finally learns.
One thing I like about Sonia, is she does not speak in Spanglish. Then Bane speaks in lots of Spanish, as he captures Kathy resulting in Batman and the other two Batwomen rushing to rescue her.
Carlton gets ready to hit her after she blames him for her mom (and his wife)’s death, but he does stop himself. Being the only smart villain Penguin immediately remembers she was in the lounge when Batwoman (Rocky) was there so there must be at least one other Batwoman.
That leads to a perfectly decent climax to a perfectly decent film. Carlton and Kathy take turns saving each other’s lives, and Batman and Bane have a decent fight that ends with Bane falling to the depths of Hell (there is no way he survived that).
In the closing action they Sonia is publicly known as Batwoman and leaves Gotham. Bruce Wayne finds proof that Rocky’s fiancé is innocent and gets him out of jail. Bruce and Kathy date at the end, and we get a short about Bats chasing Catwoman. It is better than the actual movie with multiple funny gags.
Three tree stars. Perfectly decent movie. Nothing special, but good. It is a good way to spend 75 minutes, especially if you can watch it on streaming.
Next time Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico.
The Animation Historian 